Haryana is taking Punjab to the Supreme Court over alleged water supply cuts from the Bhakra Dam. The state claims Punjab is denying its rightful water share amid a worsening summer crisis.
The Haryana government has decided to approach the Supreme Court against Punjab in the ongoing water sharing dispute. This step comes as the summer heat worsens and several districts in Haryana are facing serious drinking water shortages. Haryana Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Shruti Choudhry confirmed that the state has already started the legal process to move the Supreme Court over the issue.
she said in a statement to Media,
“The act of Punjab withholding Haryana’s legitimate share of water from Bhakra Dam is unprecedented. This water belongs to BBMB (Bhakra Beas Management Board), not Punjab, which allocates water based on the needs of the concerned states. This process has been followed for years. We will present all the facts before the Supreme Court,”
According to Haryana, water was supplied every year in April, May, and June without interruption in 2022, 2023, and 2024. The water flow during this period is normally 9,000 cusecs, out of which 500 cusecs go to Delhi, 800 cusecs to Rajasthan, 400 cusecs to Punjab, and the rest is used by Haryana for drinking water.
Shruti Choudhry raised a question about why the Punjab Chief Minister had not objected in earlier years when water was shared as per the set distribution.
she asked,
“Why did Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann not raise this issue in previous years when drinking water was allocated to Haryana as per the allocations,”
Earlier this week, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann wrote a letter to Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.
In his letter, Mann said,
“Punjab does not have a single drop of water to share with any other state.”
He also accused Haryana of overusing its water, saying,
“Haryana has already utilised 103 per cent of its allocated share for this season,” and added, “The BJP is exerting pressure on the Punjab government through BBMB to meet Haryana’s demand.”
In response, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini clarified that the regular release of water is 4,000 cusecs, which increases to 9,000 cusecs during the hot summer months.
He said that in the last three weeks, Haryana has received only 4,000 cusecs of water, out of which 1,000 cusecs were sent to Delhi and 400 cusecs to Punjab.
Shruti Choudhry also mentioned that in March this year, the supply dropped drastically. “At one point in March, the water allocation was reduced to just 1,500 cusecs,” she said, which forced the Haryana government to step in and take action.
Meanwhile, Haryana is taking steps to manage the crisis. In a meeting led by Public Health Engineering and Public Works Minister Ranbir Gangwa, officials said that several districts including Hisar, Sirsa, Mahendragarh, Narnaul, and Fatehabad are facing severe drinking water shortages.
As a result, water rationing has started. For example, in places where water was already being supplied on alternate days, the duration of supply has been further reduced.
To manage the situation, Gangwa directed officials to run awareness campaigns through local panchayats so people are encouraged to use water carefully. He said that until the issue is solved, people must use water wisely. “Water must be used strategically and efficiently,” he said.
Gangwa also told all senior engineers, executive engineers, sub-divisional officers, and junior engineers that they should not leave their headquarters during this crisis.
He asked them to make sure the water supply continues without interruption and take all precautionary steps to avoid any further problems. He added that water should be lifted from nearby canals if needed to maintain the supply.
He shared that Haryana has 11,567 tube wells that are currently being used to provide drinking water. Also, canal water is being transported by tankers and stored in reservoirs so that people continue to receive water regularly.
Gangwa said he would personally monitor the water situation every week through virtual meetings.
he added,
“Haryana Chief Minister Saini is actively monitoring the water reduction issue by Punjab and working toward a resolution,”
This water dispute has become a serious issue between Haryana and Punjab, especially as temperatures rise and the demand for water increases. With Haryana now planning to present the case before the Supreme Court, the matter has taken a legal turn.
All eyes will now be on the apex court as Haryana seeks a solution to protect its drinking water rights.
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